Shattered Souls
by AVampireEclipse
Summary: It was like a tragic love story. One that didn't look like it could ever end well. And when I was turned, I knew it would end in death. Dimitri would stop at nothing to have me back as his precious Dhampir, and I couldn't let that happen. I had to find him before he found me.
1. Chapter One

**Authors Note: Hey guys! So I have had this idea for awhile and today I thought I would go ahead and write it. This story takes place AFTER Last Sacrifice. I really hope you like it. You might have questions when you start reading it, but they get answered towards the end. :)**

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Shattered Souls  
Chapter One  
_Frustration_

Something I hated to admit was how much I payed attention to time. How I knew exactly how many months, how many weeks, days and even hours it had been since my life had changed. If anything, my memory was stronger then ever. I literally could remember every second of everyday. I could remember yesterday just as clearly as I could remember 10 months ago. I could remember smells, sights and voices that I hadn't seen or heard since 10 months ago. Was this a good thing? Was it good I could still see their faces, hear their voices and know their scents as if they were right in front of me? The answer was a _big_ stinging _No_. I guess the only relief to remembering everything so well is that I wasn't hurt by it. Nope, I was not pained by the fact that my dhampir life was over. I wasn't pained that I would never speak to or see those I had once loved.

I did wish they would piss off from my thoughts though.

Being awakened was never part of my plans. As dhampirs, we hated Strigoi and would have rathered died then have become something as terrible, evil, twisted and dangerous as what I now am. Is life any easier? Well, not exactly, now that I had taken charge of the way things run around here things could become well... stressful. Is life better? Absoloutely. I was immortal, fearless and powerful. Killing had become second nature to me. It was easy. And it was fun.

Tonight was not any different from most nights. I was at one of the cities most popular nightclubs "The Crack of Dawn" It was a Friday night so the club was packed with humans when I walked in. I expected to walk in and feel like I was in heaven with the different smells of blood but instead the first thing I noticed was the sweet smell of sweat and alchol that felt almost overpowering to my already hightened senses. Groups of people were dancing to the loud music, their bodies grinding against one another. It was more packed then ever tonight so getting through the crowd and over to the bar was a challenge. And like always, I was not in a very patient mood.

"_Move_," I growled as I pushed through a group of teenagers who had obviously used fake I.D's to get into this place. When they didn't hear me, or chose not to, I pushed them out the way. One girl fell into the next who fell into the next who fell ontop of one of the teenage boys. I don't think he minded.

I was just a few feet from the bar when a young guy with dark hair walked infront of me. He had so much sweat dripping from his hair I would have thought he had just stepped out of a shower if it wasn't for the smell. He was taller then me, so I took a step back in case any of that disgusting sweat dripped onto my beautifully clean hair. On some people, a little bit of sweat isn't such a bad smell, it can be sexy even. On this guy, it wasn't just a little and it was disgusting.

I told him to move out of my way but he was that wasted, I was sure he hadn't even understood what the word 'move' meant.

"Hey there!" He slurred, a huge grin appearing on his face as he looked me up and down. I was wearing a tight lace black dress and high heeled boots. Needless to say though, I wasn't feeling very "flattered" by the way this guy was checking me out.

"Are you deaf?" I sneered. He laughed, and I really didn't like when people laughed at me when I wasn't joking.

"No need to get nasty, baby. Do you wanna dance?" He felt so confident in himself, I could tell.

Before I could answer he stepped closer to me and went to touch my arse. It would only take him a second to realise that that was a bad idea. Before he could cop a good feel I grabbed his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. A squeeze that instantly snapped every bone in his hand.

He screamed in agony, falling to the ground cradleing his hand.

I sighed and put my hands on my hips. "It's too bad this music is so loud, isn't it? No one can hear you."

It was true. Not a single person had seen this guy wrathing around on the ground in pain, and no-one could hear him over the loud thumping song.

I quickly became bored of watching him. I walked over to the bar and sat down on one of the black stools and ordered a drink.

I was having a shit day. First of all I had found out 10 of the Strigoi I was working with had been killed when they ran into guardians who had outnumbered them. It had been their own stupid faults, when word got out there was a Royal moroi family on vacation only a block away from where we were all staying, they teamed up and decided they were going to kill him. I could have told them Royals such as Prince Sebastion and his family would have at least 20 guardians on look out.

"Dickheads" I muttered to myself. We were now dramatically down on numbers for our plan. You see, for months I had been planning an attack that would change all things as the vampire world knew it. I wanted lines to finally be set that it wasn't the Royal Moroi or guardians running the show. It was us - well - particularly me. I wanted to bring the Royal court down. And by down I mean, killed, gone. Forever. But I wasn't stupid enough to think I could do that on my own. I needed numbers. I needed an army of strigoi behind me. Losing 10 good fighters was a huge blow to my plan.

It was extremely hard to get strigoi to work together. We all hold too much hatred to everything and everyone around us, even our own kind. I was not overally thrilled about working with them all either and if I thought I could I would take the whole court down on my own. But that just wasn't possible.

"Mind if I sit?" A cool voice brought me out of my heated thoughts. I was about to tell them to fuck off and sit somewhere else, when I realised who it was. I rolled my eyes as he sat before I could answer.

"What are you doing here, Leo?" I asked coldly.

He didn't react to my tone of voice, he never did. "What do you think?" his voice was also cold, even more so then mine. Like always, I was less then happy to see Leo. Leo was a tall man with dark hair and just like all Strigoi Leo had pale skin, red eyes and he was dressed to perfection, neat and tidy. Leo was always relaxed, too relaxed in a way that was creepy and absoloutly terrifying to not just humans, but other Strigoi. Leo would have been about 30 when he was changed, but he had lived for over 200 years as a Strigoi. He was also the Strigoi who awakened me.

Even to me, Leo was scary. He was unbelievably powerful and strong. He was never happy, but never mad. I had only once ever seen Leo get angry. And it wasn't something I wanted to see again. Leo hadn't awakened many before me, in fact I had no idea who else Leo had ever awakened. Strigoi don't usually stay close to those who changed them, but Leo liked to stay close to me. Not in a I-care-about-you way more in a don't-forget-who-gave-you-this-life way. He wanted me to feel privledged that someone as great and almighty as himself had chosen to awaken me. Why he had chosen me though, I still had no idea.

"Would you like a drink, buddy?" The bartender asked Leo.

Leo was studying me in a way that sent shivers down my spine, and not in a good way. I always made it important to never let him see how intimidated I got. Even after 10 months of knowing Leo, I felt like I would know more about a complete stranger then him.

He took so long to reply to the bartender I wondered if he was even going to. But finally without blinking he turned to him.

The bartender seemed like an alright guy. He looked in his late thirties and had tattoos all down his arm. I could have a good guess that he got those tattoo's to look like a "tough guy" when it was quite obvious with the soft look on his face, he was anything but.

After catching Leo's eye contact the man immediatly stepped back, it wasn't even because of his red eyes because I knew in the light a human had no way of seeing exactly what color anyone's eyes were. No, it was just the reaction everyone had to Leo. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"No." Leo said. "As I am not techniqually alive, I don't drink. Well, I don't drink alchol, that is." He said in that dead, emotionless tone he always held. He then turned his attention to me and my drink. "Hmm. Neither does she, which makes me wonder why you have one, Rose?"

The bartenders eyes widened in shock. Wordlessly he let out a breath and walked away shakily taking an order from a different customer. Obviously, the human bartender didn't believe Leo, but just speaking to him had him all shaken up.

"It's all an illusion," I replyed to Leo, smirking. Like I said, I don't like Leo knowing how intimadating I find him.

He said nothing else.

After some silence my eyes narrowed and I spoke up, "I asked you a question, Leo."

"I replied, Rose."

I gritted my teeth. "Yeah, with another questio-"

"Which you never answered." His dark eyes were emotionless as he stared at me, daring me to continue.

I felt like screaming at him that he wasn't being fair, but Leo didn't have to be fair, I realised. He got his own way whether you liked it or not. And I most certainly _did not_ like it.

I glared at him. "What, are you spying?"

"I actually have some news." He said calmly.

Now you tell me.

"What news?"

Leo always liked to take his time before answering a question, and it annoyed the shit out of me. He glanced away watching the bartender pour a lady a drink. "I was speaking to Jason earlier after he had gotten back from-" he paused. "You know who Jason is, right?"

"Actually no-"

"Anyway," he cut me off before I could answer. I bit my tounge. _Bastard. _"He was telling me about some news that he found out from sources at Royal Court."

I straightened up. I really hoped that they hadn't somehow found out about our plan to attack next month. "And who were these 'sources' from?"

Leo was examining my drink like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Queen Vasilissa Dragomir."

I got a weird sickly feeling within my chest. _Lissa..._

I knew Lissa, and everyone else was still living at the Royal Court. If I was being honest to myself me planning this attack there had a lot to do with them. I wanted them gone. Lissa, Christian, my mother, my father, Adrian and... Dimitri. I didn't dare to think about Dimitri, it brought many unwelcomed feelings. I wanted. them. gone. I wasn't sure why I felt such a strong hatred to them, maybe it was the feeling I got everytime I heard their name or everytime a memory of my time with them as a Dhampir hit me in the face and made me feel weak. If I was to kill them, surely all that would stop.

When I turned back to Leo he had stopped looking at my drink and was instead looking at me. I knew he found enjoyment in seeing me squirm when the names of people from my dhampir life were mentioned. Leo was good at reading me. He was my creator, after all. The day Dimitri, Christian and I took Lissa to the mall so she could chose the right outfit to wear on her first day as Queen. He was there, lurking in the shadows. I had thought he was making an attack for Lissa, but no, he was making an attack for me. He showed me life as a Strigoi. He was there, watching me as I made my first kill. And although now I loved my life as a Strigoi.

For some reason, I still hated him for it.

And right now, his staring was really getting to me. "Would you fucking stop with the staring already?" I hissed, showing my fangs. I thought I saw anger boil in his eyes but it left as quickly as it came. Because Leo had been a Strigoi for so long, it was hard to tell what he had been in his previous life. He had never told me, of course. But by the way he liked to hide any emotion I guessed he was once a Dhampir. I continued "What did 'the Queen' say?"

The corner of Leo's mouth twitched in cruel amusement. "They are sending him again Rose. Somebody told them you were still... alive."

The glass I was holding I must have gripped too tightly because it smashed, splashing my full drink everywhere and sending pieces of glass all over the table and floor. My hand was cut from the glass and red blood was slowly pouring from it. From the corner of my eye, I saw Leo smirk, stand and silently walk away.

"Jesus! Are you alright?" The bartender asked me, looking at my bleeding hand he rushed off to get a cloth, by the time he got back my hand had completely healed. The man looked completely puzzled. "Um... Uh.."

I stood up to leave. I had originally planned to take this bartender out in the alleyway and drain him dry but thought since he had been so nice, I would let him live out his precious little life. I winked at him. "Thanks for the drink."

When I got outside my mind got the better of me and I started to panic. When Leo said him, I knew he meant Dimitri. This wasn't the first time Dimitri had tried to find me, either. It had been less then a week after I was turned I had heard he was on a crazed search to find me. It was like the roles had been seriously reversed when I thought back to when Dimitri had been a Strigoi when I was still in high school, and I had set out to kill him. This time was different though, after Dimitri the vampire world knows it's possible to reverse the effects of being Strigoi. Dimitri and Lissa know this better then anyone else, they know it can be done and they had tried their hardest for two months to find me. They never did. After months of searching I had told a Strigoi I knew to relay the message, that I had been killed. They stopped looking for me after that, obviously believing it.

Familiar anger built up in me and I punched the street light pole next to me, causing a dint. This had ruined my plan of attacking the court. I felt mad, stressed and maybe even a little... worried. I had to now make sure I was never caught of guard, because if I was Dimitri and Lissa could change me. I could be a sad, hopeless Dhampir again. I couldnt let that happen.

I knew what I had to do. Destroying the court would have to wait. If I wanted to ensure my safety I would have to fight back. I was going to find Dimitri and Lissa before they found me.

And this time, I knew I wouldn't hesitate.

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**A/N: Any good? Everyone says this but PLEASE REVIEW I need to know if I should continue?**


	2. Chapter Two

Shattered Souls  
Chapter Two  
_Sunlight sucks_

My lair was anything but ordinary. It was badass, a place Strigoi like me dreamed to live but instead were living in some dumpy sewers on the main street. As Strigoi could be a bit of a struggle to find the right place to live, in the night we are indestructible and fearless but during the day we became vulnerable. My "homie" little cabin was modern and slick. Filled with the best tinted windows money could buy.

For me, the day time sucked. It was boring having to stay locked up and there wasn't much to do except bring a snack home, and I unfortunetly hadn't gotten round to that today.

With a heavy sigh, I fell back onto my blood-red leather couch. My mind was still reeling from what Leo had told me a few hours earlier. For some reason I always felt like I needed time to prepare myself before seeing people from my past. I don't mean preparing as in a few deep thoughts I meant preparing for weeks and even months, so I could do this right. I remembered an old conversation I once had with my 'brilliant' maker when I had held back from striking against the court. Now, looking back I really wished I'd just gotten it over with.

I barged in before slamming my fist down on the kitchen table. "I'm going to kill them!" I roared.

Leo didn't even spare me a glance, he was too busy drinking from some blonde bimbo on the couch.

"I mean what the hell is wrong with them? Don't they get the fucking message!" I gritted my teeth so hard I thought they might chip. "I don't want to be saved!" I spat the last word.

I heard the blonde girl Leo was draining take her last breath before her heart stopped. Leo sighed before pushing her off the couch, she fell on the floor with a gentle thud. "It's never as fun when they're dead." He muttered, dissapointed. Finally he turned to me. "Is your ex-lover and ex-bond mate still looking for you?"

I ignored his taunting tone. "Yes."

We were silent for a few moments, my head felt like it was spining. I turned when Leo suddenly stood up from the couch.

I frowned. "Where are you going?"

He was casually putting his grey coat on, it looked like something from the 50's. "You always say you're going to kill them but you never do. It's pathetic. So, I will do it for you. Consider it a favour. I will kill Dimitri Belikov and Vasilissa once and for all, and then you can stop this childish complaining."

Leo grabbed the door knob but I was in his face before he could open it. "_Don't_. even. _think_. about it." I hissed bearing my fangs.

Leo was the one Strigoi I had never become aggressive towards. It wasn't because he was the person who created me, it was because he was the oldest, most powerful and scary being I had ever known. If Leo was to get to Dimitri and Lissa, they would be gone. Permanantly. I mean, I had no doubt with Dimitri's skill he could put up a damn good fight against Leo but in the end I knew even my great Comrade would be no match for the Strigoi standing infront of me.

And though that is what I wanted, I was going to be the one to do it. Needless to say I was expecting a terrifying fight after talking back to Leo.

I stood there, tense and ready - but it never came.

Leo was completely uneffected and had not so much as flinched when I had charged up to him. He had expected it. His eyes narrowed as he regarded me with some sort of interest. It was unnerving. He let out a small breath, so silent no human would hear. "What is it with you?" He asked calmly, although it looked more like he was talking to himself.

I hadn't expected the quiet change of mood. I took a step back. "What do you mean?"

He turned his head on the side. "The way you react to them... it's something... something I have not once, in all my years come across. Most of us - when we change - we no longer feel attached to those we once..." he shook his head in disgust, "..'loved'"

I was going to argue that that wasn't true, when Dimitri had been turned he had still felt an attachment to me, but I didn't feel like having that conversation now. Frankly, I didn't feel like having this conversation. Leo didn't think I still cared about them, did he? Because of course I didn't. I wouldn't and I couldn't. "Don't be ridiculous." I said straightening. "It's just.. if anyone's going to kill them. It will be me, and only me."

I remembered back when Dimitri was a Strigoi and was sending me letters at the academy, he had wrote a similar thing. Strigoi became possessive over their former friends, that was all it was. It wasn't any of this bull shit Leo was making up in his head.

Leo looked unconvinced, but also seemed to become bored of the topic. I could be grateful for that. "Hmm. Well when are you attacking the court?"

"Soon." I said.

He raised an eyebrow. "When is that?"

"What?"

"Soon."

I shook my head, annoyed. "Soon - as in whenever I want." All gratefullness was lost. I hated Leo. I hated him, and all his questioning. "It's none of your damn buisness anyway."

"You came here to me, Rose." I thought I saw his lips twitch but his eyes were blank as usual.

I really regretted coming now. Might as well get it over with. "I came here," I started. "To see if you would reconsider." When I had first come up with the plan to attack Court Leo had said he would not assist - why? I didn't know.

He looked at me for some time before saying "No."

"No?"

"No."

I growled. "Why? Why won't you help me?" _Stupid, selfish bastard._

There was a clear difference in Leo and I's voice. It was another way to tell the age difference in Strigoi years. Because I was still young my voice still held many emotions, anger, annoyance, sadness. Leo's was blunt. Always blunt and chillingly calm, I never understood what mood he was in.

He leaned down so he was just inches away from my face. I could feel the coolness radiating off his skin white skin. "Because I don't think you're going to do it."

I clenched my fists. He thought I was weak, I realised. "You're wrong!"

He wasn't.

That was 8 months ago and yet still no attack. What was wrong with me?

This was my chance. I had to do this before more of my men got themselves killed. I wondered what it would feel like knowing that Dimitri and Lissa were no longer on this earth. _A huge, annoying weight lifted off your shoulders_, I told myself

Hours later and the terrible sun had finally set. I felt free again. I picked up my phone and made a few calls... that was the one bonus of knowing Leo, since he had been around so long he knew a hell of a lot of other Strigoi that I had met along the way. Right now I was calling Strigoi in different cities to keep a look out for Dimitri and Lissa. But don't kill them.

One of the guys in Missisipi, Ashton laughed on the other line. "If I come across Queen Vasilissa Dragomir, you expect me not to kill her?" He laughed again. "I don't think so."

This Ashton guy didn't know me as well as some of the other Strigoi, but he would. "If you so much as lay a hand on her I will slice you of your skin and watch you _burn_ in the summer _sun_"

It was quiet on the other end of the line for a while before I heard him snicker. "Fuck off." He said quickly before hanging up.

"Bastard."

I had moved around a lot before deciding to stay where I was now. I had planned on moving again last month, but honestly travelling on a plane was a bitch.

I called another name in my phone list. His name was Rick, he was a guy I knew early on when I was first turned.

"Rick? It's Rose... Rose Hathaway." I said, I'm sure my tone gave away that this wasn't going to some nice little chit-chat.

There was a small pause. "Oh, Rose.. Leonardo's little puppet?"

_What did he just say to me?_

"Excuse me? I am _not _Leo's puppet! That is just fucking ridiculous." I started pacing around the room. "Did he tell you that? Because I hardly see the guy! And when I do it's because he's stalking and-"

"Jesus Christ. I was kidding, fuck." Rick replied gruffly. I could here some noise in the background, it was distant screaming.

"Well, good." I must have sounded like an idiot now. I asked the obvious. "What's that noise?"

He let out a cold laugh. "The boys and I just totally raded this community full of blood whores." He said proudly.

I didn't know why, but that made me feel a little sick. It's not like I had never 'raded' a community of blood whores before, because I actually had. But I knew Rick wasn't just drinkin' and leavin'. He was killing them all. Of course I didn't say what I was thinking, I had more important things to worry about then the pointless lives of blood whores. "How lovely. Anyway, the reason I called.." more screaming - "Is because- Rick, can you just- like - stop killing people while your on the phone?"

I could just imagine it - this Strigoi walking around, attacking dhampir women, drinking their blood all while talking on a mobile.

I heard slurrping which indicated he was currently drinking. _Now that's just rude. _I ignored it, anyway and continued asking what I'd asked everyone else.

I knew he had finished drinking when the line finally fell silent. It was a while before he spoke next, "Oh yeah, they were here."

For a moment I was unsure if I had heard him right. "They- wait what? They have been there?"

"Yeah, that bastard Belikov was here threatening everyone. Don't know who the hell he thinks he is, now that he's not a Strigoi anymore. Last week I heard he got a hold of Jeremy." He laughed. "Got him good too. He was asking where you were staying."

I gribbed the phone so tight I knew it was close to snapping. "And you never thought to tell me this?"

I was sure he would have shrugged. "Nah. I've been busy."

"Where did you last see him?" I growled. "My patience for people like you is running _extremely thin_."

"Hey don't get nasty with me," he growled back. "And what do you mean by 'people like me' baby, you are just like me."

"Ok first of all, don't call me 'baby'. Secondly, I am not like you. I sometimes wonder if you even have half a brain!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You. Destroying villages of Blood whores is fun and all but what if every other Strigoi gets the same idea. Less then 8% of the worlds population are dhampirs and you are getting rid of them! And I don't know about you but I prefer my meals half vampire then completely human." It was true, though Moroi had the best tasting blood, dhampir's were a close second. Don't get me wrong human's blood tastes great, but was kind of dull compared to the sweet, sweet taste of a vampire. "And what if the Alchemists catch you? We are already in enough shit with them as it is."

I heard a low, dangerous growl. This was just getting me no where.

"Are you really growling at me? What are we, wearwolves now?"

"I don't appreaciate your smart mouth Hathaway. I wonder how pretty it will look ripped open."

"Probably just as 'pretty' as your face looks now."

"What?"

"Turn around."

There was only one "blood whore" community here in Seattle, and I was only living a few miles away. In the small minutes I was talking to Rick, I had run here.

Rick tried to contain his shock, but was failing misrably. He obviously didn't know I was living in the same town as him.

I looked around, if I had still been dhampir, I would have been sick. I was stood in one of the villages homes. On my way up I had passed about 10 dead dhampir's who just minutes ago had gruesome deaths thanks to Rick.

A young women who would have been attractive if not for all the blood and the fact she was slowly dying was clung to Rick's shoulder.

"You gonna finish that?" I asked nodding towards her. Before he could answer I had lunged the girl against the wall drinking the remains of her blood. I hadn't come here planning to kill anyone, and I certainly didn't like sloppy seconds but the stentch of blood everywhere was overwelming and I didn't have enough control of my cravings to resist.

When I was finished I let the girl fall and licked my lips. Rick glared at me. "She was mine. What are you doing here? I thought you said we shouldn't kill the dhampirs."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, she was already long gone. I came here because I have questions. And you're going to answer them." I put my hands in the short black leather jacket I was wearing.

Rick raised one thick black eyebrow. I thought it was strange, and ugly considering he had light brown hair. "Am I now?"

"Yup."

"I don't answer to anyone..." he paused and licked his lips, and his eyes shone for a different kind of hunger. Red ringed eyes slowly looked me up and down mentally undressing me. Was he seriously trying to seduce me? "Not unless I get something in return." He said.

Before his eyes could make there way back to my face my right hand was around his throat while my left hand pushed him against the brick wall. "I don't have time for games." I glared. "Where was Jeremy when he spoke to Dimitri?"

Ignoring me, Rick pulled his knee up before kicking me in the stomach, making me stumble a few steps back. His eyes were blazing more then normal and I knew that was from all the blood he had just drank. "I don't know, and I don't care. If I was Jeremy, I would have killed Belikov." He spat the word 'Belikov'.

I clenched my fists. Dimitri wasn't a stranger to the Strigoi world, everyone knew of him. He was a miracle and a threat. Many of the Strigoi I knew now had once worked for him. I realised now Rick was probably one of them.

Before I could think much more I had lunged, trying to put as much weight as I could into knocking Rick back into the wall. It worked, his head hitting the stone and before he could retaliate I punched him. He went to kick me again but I expected it, dodging it before delivering another blow to his face. He was at a disadvantage being cornered against the wall. I smirked and my hand went out, reaching for his throat again.

"You know what Rick? I don't believe you. In fact, I think you would make sure you knew exactly where Belikov is because the thought of him worries you, probably because you were once his scared little bitch. So, tell me now or so help me I will-" I froze and so did Rick, catching noise of two cars pulling up in the driveway. "Shit_._" I whispered.

"Alchemists are here." Rick said as we listened to their footsteps reach the house.

I sighed. "You and your 'boys' must have alerted the neighbours!"

Rick shoved me hard off him. I was about to knock him back but thought better of it. "Fucking alchemists." I said to myself. From the corner of my eye I saw Rick make his way for the window. "Scared of humans?" I teased.

He snorted. "I don't wish for the others to find out I got caught killing, again." In the 'vampire world' Strigoi had some kind of silent agreement with Alchemists, we weren't meant to publicly kill. Actually, we weren't meant to kill at all but obviously we did we just made sure it never got noticed. It was a good vs evil situation and though I thought it would be easier if all Alchemists were dead, we didn't kill them because we needed them to cover our tracks when it came to cleaning up bodies and keeping vampires out of the news headlines. One thing we could agree on was that we didn't want humans to know of any vampire existence. If they did it would put a worldwide target on all vampires including Moroi and Dhampirs.

"I'm not done with you!" I growled but he was already gone.

Glancing around at the mess of dead bodies, I realised I should leave too or else I would be the blame for this sloopy - badly done mess. I was half way to the window when I heard a small gasp.

I turned to look at the wide-eyed girl staring at me with complete horror on her face. The smell of her fear filled the room. I watched, curious, as her skin turned as pale as mine. "Oh God." She whispered.

I smirked. "Not quite."

Sydney Sage, an alchemist I knew when I was a dhampir darted her eyes to the young dead girl at my feet.

"Hey, that wasn't my fault." I said defensively. _Well, not really.._

Sydney was shaking but seemed to be frozen in her spot. I could hear other alchemists slowly making their way up the stairs. "You.. your.." Sydney stuttered.

"Oh you didn't know?" I frowned and was suprised she hadn't heard of my awakening, and a little offended. "Hmm, well I guess I really am an evil creature of the night now aren't I?" Before she could stutter another word I jumped out the window just as the rest of the alchemists entered the room.

I felt annoyed when I returned home and realised I hadn't got my answer from Rick and I had no idea where he lived. Dammit.

Briefly I thought about Sydney. Would she know where Dimitri and Lissa were staying? Could she find out? Had she spoken to them? Considering up until 7 minutes ago she didn't even know I was Strigoi, I knew the chances were unlikely.

I looked around the room realising it was pointless to stay here, I had to be out looking. If Rick couldn't help me, I had to find my own way.

Hell, maybe I'll attack the Royal Court by myself.


End file.
